


Stupid

by cruciel



Category: Honou no Mirage (Mirage of Blaze) (anime)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-04-30
Updated: 2005-04-30
Packaged: 2017-10-05 17:16:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruciel/pseuds/cruciel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He will come back. He has to. The chain only pulls so far.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stupid

Sinking into the marshmallow discomfort of the reception sofa, Takaya tried to sit up straight to preserve dignity, without much success. He was bored already, at least the Takaya part of him was. The new-found urge to actually set this ‘valiant and powerful feudal lord smiting the evil spirits’ record straight was stronger now, growing stronger everyday and accompanied by bursts of power that left him barely clinging onto the Takaya part of him, the rash grump that let his mouth and fist speak for him.

Frankly, he was sick of it and if he was crazy, he was crazy. But he was still fiercely independent, couldn’t tolerate patronising attitudes with a devil-may-care attitude that careened dangerously on the highway, like his bike.  But that also came back to Haruie’s wondering tone, Chiaki’s sneering acceptance. “Well, that’s the Kagetora we know.” “Hasn’t changed much, has he?”

No, hadn’t changed. But hadn’t changed from what?

Except for that one day when everything was tinged with the crimson fire of sunset, the flame so cold for something that was suppose to be pure heat, a mere ripple of mirage on the lake. So cold. If not for the stupid jacket, which was warm, from that stupid man who might as well have flung it at him for what he did later, stupid car taking him away, stupid show of stupid kindness, and that stupid…stupid…

_I love you._

STUPIDSTUPIDSTUPID!

Takaya growled.  Kagetora remained silent, suspiciously as though he was basking in something that Takaya had no comprehension of—and preferred it that way. It was disturbing when a part of him hated for the unexplainable feeling of betrayal and uncertainty- _will he, you know, come back?_-  while the other part was calmly confident, enough to wait. It was the sort of patience that outlasted a siege and won wars, and still there when people turned around to check whether they had given up or ran away yet.

_He will come back. He has to. The chain only pulls so far._

Then Kagetora saw the runaway. Through Takaya’s shocked eyes.

He suddenly felt dizzy, gold and molten all over, like the over painted and garished walls of the hotel. He felt languid as honey, drifting, before both of him sharply crystallised into jagged edges of illogical fury.

HOW DARE HE?

Kagetora roared, a sputtering, disbelieving roar, infuriated by the stupid man’s incredulous…the nerve of…! How…HOW?

Rising quickly, abandoning the spirit guide he had followed, he ran down the emergency exit stairs to the car-park, the concrete muffling his hurried dash. It must have, because he hadn’t heard his feet stamping down the stairs. The fury was lashing at him, hand clenching for the rough grip of a sword that wasn’t there- Takaya’s head felt too heavy, the blood in his ears pounded too loudly.

Just there to see the taillights of a car driving away, and Takaya’s heart bypasses his mouth to lodge somewhere behind his eyes.  It hurts, he feels like he’s too full of everything, something has to give. The thumping and roaring dimmed a little then flared back, redoubling at Naoe’s calm comment.

"The contract has been made. Tomorrow the goods and money will be exchanged."

And suddenly, everything clicks into place. Takaya is feeling every part of the wispy Kagetora, woken fully, startled into life by fury and anger. Takaya feels everything too; the outraged ego, the anger and the remnant of shock from the sudden realisation that the dog had turned around and chewed off his leash, leaving only empty control.

The hurt. The hurt that hadn’t diminished but simply altered into hatred, still raw and sore, even after…

The time span leaves Takaya breathless. For one brief moment, in a small corner of his mind that isn’t raging with Kagetora, Takaya feels weight of every year, of every century, the grief, a glimmer of the obsession that they constantly tugged and really, never let go of.

But Naoe had suddenly let it all go…

_The contract has been made._

The anger returns, and this time Takaya isn’t convincing himself that he's pissed off. The contract could go to hell, this particular good was his and there were going to be more than a few dentist appointments before he allowed this one to be exchanged without his permission. _Damn you, look at me, you bastard!_

“What the hell are you doing here?” he barked.


End file.
